Snap-off mud flaps

ABSTRACT

A mud flap for trucking trailers and other wheeled vehicles comprising a releasable connector means between the truck body mounting member and that part of the flap liable to be accidentally caught between the wheels of the vehicle moving in reverse, and a stationary object, such as curbing which otherwise tear or mutilate the mud flap and its mounting.

United States Patent [191 Miller [451 Apr. 10, 1973 SNAP-OFF MUD FLAPS[21] Appl. Nb: 155,889

3,158,386 11/1964 Tillingshast ..280/l54.5 R 3,333,868 8/1967 Sogoian..280/l54.5 R 3,549,171 12/1970 Katz ..280/l54.5 R

Primary Examiner--Kenneth H. Betts Assistant Examiner-Robert R. SongAttorney-Walter S. Murray 52 US. Cl. ..2s0/154.5 R ABSTRACT [51] ll!-Cl. 25/16 A mud p for trailers and other wheeled Fleld 0f SCSI'Ch Rvehicles p i g a releasable connector means between the truck bodymounting member and that [56] References Clted part of the flap liableto be accidentally caught UNITED STATES PATENTS between the wheels ofthe vehicle moving in reverse,

and a stationary ob ect, such as curbing which other- 3,219,363 11/1965Dalsey ..280/154.5 R wise tear or mutilate the mud flap and itsmounting. 2,777,710 l/l957 Panchesine.... 3,650,543 3/1972 Evans280/1545 R 5 Claims, 7 l {a SNAP-OFF MUD FLAPS The present inventionrelates to mud flaps for overthe-road vehicles, especially truckingtrailers, and is particularly directed to an improved mud flapconstruction that will add a longer useful life to these expendabledevices that are subjected to much wear-andte'ar.

Operators of trucking trailers, and like vehicles, must comply withState laws requiring that trailers be equipped with mud flaps extendingdownwardly behind the wheels a stated and relatively close distance fromthe roadway, sometime within 3 inches from the road, to prevent thesplash of mud, water or the throwing of stones and gravel into theWindshields of vehicles following the trailers. However, these trailersare frequently backed into positions at loading docks, curbs, and thelike obstacles, where the flaps are caught between said objects and therotating rear wheels which either tear the flaps from their mountings orthe flaps are so mutilated that they must be replaced; both conditionscausing a substantial and continuing financial loss to the operators.

It is therefore the general purpose of this invention to provide fortruck trailers, and like vehicles, a separable mud flap structure whichwhen accidentally caught between stationary objects and the wheels of amoving trailer will readily part at a predetermined connector andprovide means to reassemble the flap without any loss of that flap tothe operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snapoff mud flap thatis easy to reassemble after accidental separation, is rugged andsubstantially fool-proof in use, and which will require very littlereplacement.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingspecification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a trucking trailer with thesnap-off mud flap of this invention positioned thereon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmental section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental, rear elevational view of a trucking trailerhaving sliding tandems with a modified form of this invention positionedthereon.

FIG. 4 is a fragmental, enlarged section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a modified form of my snap-off mudflap.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmental section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section showing a further modified form of myseparable connector for a twopart mud flap.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings the numeral10 indicates the body of a flat bed trucking trailer, generally calledin the trade a West Coast trailer. Mud flaps 11-11 are mounted on thebody 10 behind the trailer wheels 12-12 and it will be noted that saidflaps extend downwardly from the body to within a relatively shortdistance from the roadway 13; some state laws specifying that saiddistance be not more than 3 inches. As best shown in FIG. 2 each mudflap 11 has a mounting member 14 and a flap part 15, each part having arelatively thin, flexible body preferably constructed from a compositionof nylon cord and rubber. The upper flap part 14 has its top marginfastened to a trailer body member 16 by a line of bolts 17 while itslower end portion is thickened at 18 and provided with a downwardlyopening slot 19.

The slot is preferably circular in section (FIG. 2) and has a uniformdiameter throughout its longitudinal ex tent, said slot opening out intothe end edges 20 and 21 of the flap. The slot is formed with arestricted opening which provides confronting lips 22 and 23 which haverelative resiliency because of their attenuation in the flap body. Thelower flap part 15 has a rib 24 formed on its upper end which iscylindrical in section and is normally, snugly received and held in theslot 19 in the upper flap part 14.to provide a releasable connection forthe flap parts in the form of a dovetail joint.

To connect the flap parts 14 and 15 together it is only necessary toslide the rib 24 endwise into the slot 19 to form a releasable connectormeans between the flap parts 14 and 15 and then to mount the the flap l41 by the bolts 17 to the trailer body. In the event undue downwardtension is placed on the lower flap part 15, as when the trailer backsup against curbing, or the like, thereby catching the flap part 15between the curb and the wheels 12, the lower part will release from theupper part at the connection without damage to either flap part and theparts can then be reassembled for continued effective use.

Now with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings there is depicted atandem type trailer body wherein the trailer wheels 12 may be adjustedlongitudinally of the trailer body 10 and wherein a modified mud flap 25is positioned on the trailer chassis 26. In this modification a mountingmember in the form of a fender plate 27 is fixed by a line of bolts 28to the frame 26 and extends downwardly and rearwardly of the frame andbehind the wheels 12. The mud flap 25 is provided at its upper end witha rib 29 that is Y-shaped in section and which is embraced between adovetail joint formed by two bracket members 30 and 31 that are securedto the lower edge portion of the fender plate 27 by a line of bolts 32.When undue tension is placed on the flap the legs of the Y-shaped rib 29will collapse inwardly permitting the flap to be snapped out of thebracket members without damage to the flap. The rib of the flap may beslid endwise into the bracket members to reassemble the flap forcontinued usage after such accidental release action.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict a further modification of the invention wherein thenumeral 33 is a trailer body mounted member provided at its lower endwith a cylindrically shaped groove 34 which opens out into the sideedges 35 and 36 of the member, said groove opening downwardly through arestricted mouth 37 formed in the member. A flap 38 is provided at itsupper end with a hollow cylindrical rib 39 which is normally engaged andheld in the groove 34 but when undue tension is placed on the flap therib will collapse and pass through the mouth 37 to thus preclude injuryand damage to the flap. A detent 40 is formed centrally of the rib 39and extends upwardly therefrom into a recess 41 formed in the wall ofthe groove 34 to provide a means precluding endwise movement of the flapin the mounting member.

FIG. 7 shows a further modification of my invention wherein thereleasable connector for the two-part flap 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 isprovided with a means for precluding longitudinal displacement of theparts in use, said means being similar to that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 ofthe drawings wherein a lug 42 is formed'on the rib 24 and projects intoa hole 43 formed in the slot of the mounting member 14.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. A two-part mud flap structure for placement behind the rear wheels oftrucking trailers, or the like, said flap comprising an vupper flap partmade of resilient rubber material, mounting means on the upper end ofsaid flap part adapted to fasten said part to the trailer, alongitudinal dovetail slot formed in the lower portion of the upper flappart and having a restricted mouth opening out into the lower edge ofsaid part, said lower edge of said upper flap having two lipsconfronting each other across the said restricted mouth, a lower flappart having a longitudinal rib formed on its upper edge receivable inthe slot in the upper flap part and depending downwardly from betweenthe two lips, and

said two lips forming means for resiliently releasably holding said ribin said slot, permitting separation of the flap parts without damage tosaid parts when undue tension is accidentally exerted downwardly on thelower flap part.

2. The two-part flapstructure set forth in claim 1 wherein the bottomflap part is substantially shorter than the upper flap part.

3. The two-part flap structure set forth in claim 1 wherein both partshave relatively thin, flexible bodies.

4. The two-part flap structure set forth in claim 3 wherein each part isconstructed from a nylon cord and rubber composition.

5. The two-part flap structure set forth in claim 3 wherein the lowerportion of the upper flap part is thickened and the lips are attenuatedand adapted to sion is exerted on said lower flap part.

1. A two-part mud flap structure for placement behind the rear wheels oftrucking trailers, or the like, said flap comprising an upper flap partmade Of resilient rubber material, mounting means on the upper end ofsaid flap part adapted to fasten said part to the trailer, alongitudinal dovetail slot formed in the lower portion of the upper flappart and having a restricted mouth opening out into the lower edge ofsaid part, said lower edge of said upper flap having two lipsconfronting each other across the said restricted mouth, a lower flappart having a longitudinal rib formed on its upper edge receivable inthe slot in the upper flap part and depending downwardly from betweenthe two lips, and said two lips forming means for resiliently releasablyholding said rib in said slot, permitting separation of the flap partswithout damage to said parts when undue tension is accidentally exerteddownwardly on the lower flap part.
 2. The two-part flap structure setforth in claim 1 wherein the bottom flap part is substantially shorterthan the upper flap part.
 3. The two-part flap structure set forth inclaim 1 wherein both parts have relatively thin, flexible bodies.
 4. Thetwo-part flap structure set forth in claim 3 wherein each part isconstructed from a nylon cord and rubber composition.
 5. The two-partflap structure set forth in claim 3 wherein the lower portion of theupper flap part is thickened and the lips are attenuated and adapted torelease the rib on the lower flap part when undue tension is exerted onsaid lower flap part.